Draft attachment for vehicles



(No Model.)

T. S. BAILEY. DRAFT ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLES.

No. 548,417. Patented 0013.22, 1895.

ammwto c UNITED S'rnmns PATENT Gimme.

THOMAS STEWART BAILEY, OF SANDY LAKE, PENNSYLVANIA.

DRAFT ATTACHMENT FOR VEH|CLES.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,417, dated October 22, 1895.

' Application filed March 14, 1895. Serial No. 541,733- (No model.)

draft attachments for vehicles, the object of the invention being to provide a simple device that can be attached to the thills of the vehicle and removed therefrom at pleasure; and it consists in a ring or ferrule adapted to embrace the thill and provided at one side with a thickened portion having a screwthreaded hole therein for the passage of a setscrew adapted to secure it in place and a rod passing through the eye of the set-screw and carrying a spring, which latter forms ayielding stop or abutment for the rod.

My invention further consists in certain details of construction and combinations of parts, as will be more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of my improved attachment applied to a section of the thill. Fig. 2 is aview, partly in section, of the attachment; and Fig. 3 is an end elevation.

One of these attachments is to be used on each thill, and as they are alike in construction a description of one will suifice for both.

A represents a ring or ferrule of a size suiiicient to readily fit a thill, and this ring is preferably thickened at the point a, so as to form an enlarged seat for the set-screw B. The part a is provided centrally with a screw-threaded hole 0. for the reception of the set-screw B, which latter is provided with an eye I) for the passage of the draft-rod G. This set-screw is free to turn in its bearing in the ring, and hence can be made to firmly impinge on the thill, and thus rigidly lock the ring in place. The red O is provided with a hook or other device for the attachment of the end of the tug, and is also provided near its front end with a collar 0, which latter limits the rearward movement of the rod. Mounted on the rod behind the head of the set-screw and hearing at one end against said set-screw is the spiral jsprin g D, the rear end of which bears against the Washer or cap b, held in place by the removable nut (1'. By means of this nut the tension of the spring can be increased or diminished as necessity or circumstances demand. I

From the foregoing it will be seen that the spring is confined between the eye Z), carried by the ring, and the washer b or cap carried by the rod, and the tension of the spring normally holds the collar 0 in contact with the front face of the eye, and a forward pull on the rod, as in the act of pulling the vehicle, is

I transmitted from the rod through the springs to the eye, and from thence direct to the ring and thill, thus securing a yielding connection between the horse and the thills of the vehiele. The rings are locked in place by the set-screw impinging on the thills, and as the draft-rods pass through the eyes of the setscrews it will be seen that the latter are prevented from movement while the vehicle is in use. To re move or readjust the rings it.would be simply necessary to disconnect the tugs from the rods and turn the set-screw in the proper direction, thus leaving the rings free to be removed from the thills or adjusted back and forward on the thills.

These attachments can be applied at any point throughout the length of the thills, thus permitting one set of harness to be used on large and small horses. I prefer, however, to fasten the attachments to the thills just back of the thill-tug, as theyin this position answer as a holdback and permit me to dispense with holdback-straps, breeching, singletree, and about two-thirds of the length of the tugs, thus considerably lessening the cost of the harness.

While the device is designed, primarily, for use on buggies and light vehicles, I can, of course, use it on wagons.

It is evident that numerous slight changes might be resorted to in the relative arrangement of parts herein described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence Iwould have it understood that I do not care tolimit myself to the exact con struction herein shown and described; but

Having fully described myinvention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a draft attachment for vehicles, the combination with a sleeve adapted to encircle or receive a shaft therein, of a set screw adapted to turn in the sleeve and fasten it to the shaft, said set screw having an eye thereon, and a draft rod passing through the eye and having sliding connection therewith, substarr tially as set forth.

2. The combination with a sleeve, and a set screw adapted to turn therein and lock the sleeve .to the shaft, said set screw having an eye, of a draft rod passing through the eye and having sliding connection therewith, an abutment on the rod forward of the eye, a spiral spring on the rod in rear of the eye, and aremovable device on the rear end of the rod, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

THOMAS STEWART BAILEY.

Witnesses:

G. W; MCBRIDE, W. H. COCHRANE. 

